ITMI20121027A1 - SYSTEM FOR VISUALIZATION OF INFORMATION PARTICULARLY SUITABLE FOR THE HOSPITAL SCOPE. - Google Patents

Description

"SYSTEM FOR DISPLAYING INFORMATION PARTICULARLY SUITABLE FOR THE HOSPITAL AREA"

DESCRIPTION

The present invention relates to a remote supervision and monitoring system, in particular a system for the remote display of medical information.

The use of medical devices capable of providing reliable information in real time has found widespread diffusion in recent decades. Such often expensive apparatuses usually include dedicated devices which must efficiently and quickly process medical information, present it quickly and clearly to users and respond quickly to inputs entered by medical personnel. The costs of such devices are often high and the malfunction of one of their components can make them unusable for several days. For example, an entire apparatus suitable for viewing a radiological image is unusable if the mere processor that has the task of processing the image is not functioning. Furthermore, these apparatuses often have considerable dimensions and it is difficult to transport them from one department to another.

In addition, they must meet strict requirements, imposed by law, of compatibility with the medical environments in which they are inserted because they could generate unwanted interference with other devices present in the area. Furthermore, the processors of these devices, due to the continuous and growing needs for computing power, tend to quickly become obsolete and their consequent updating may require the entire device to be sent to a specialized center, the intervention on the spot by an operator. or even the complete replacement of the apparatus itself.

The aim of the present invention is to overcome the limits of the prior art highlighted above, proposing a new system capable of guaranteeing supervision and remote monitoring.

Within the scope of this aim, the object of the present invention is to provide a monitoring method consistent with the proposed system.

This aim and these and other objects which will become clearer in the following, are achieved by the system of claim 1.

Advantageously, the system decouples the components strictly connected to the management of medical information from the processing components devolved to the calculation operations.

Conveniently, the system is modular and flexible.

Preferably, the system provides for the use of inexpensive and commercially available devices.

Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will become clearer from the following detailed description, given in the form of an illustrative and non-limiting example, accompanied by the relative figures in which:

Figure 1 is a block diagram of the system according to the present invention;

Figure 2 is a block diagram illustrating a particular embodiment of the system of Figure 1.

An exemplary architecture of the system according to the present invention is summarized in the block diagram of Figure 1.

The illustrated system comprises a computer 100, a trolley 110 and a telematic network 160.

The computer 100 is of a known type and comprises both hardware and software components, such as for example a plurality of operating systems and dedicated applications suitable for receiving, processing and displaying the inserted data.

The computer 100 is preferably arranged in non-critical areas of the hospital such as operating rooms and intensive care units.

The processor 100 also comprises means suitable for interlocking with a telematic network and is arranged in an area in which connectivity is present. Said electronic processor can be realized by means of a common personal computer arranged outside the operating block, for example installed in the "server farm" of the hospital area.

This processor 100 must in any case be equipped with sufficient computing power to allow the use of hospital management applications which typically concern the management of specific departments or the processing of patient information such as radiological images and computerized medical records. Preferably, the computer is equipped with uninterruptible power supplies such as to be able to guarantee its functionality even in the event of a power failure.

The computer 100 also comprises at least one digital interface, such as an electronic card which performs all the processing or functions necessary to allow the connection of said unit 100 with the telematic network 160.

The trolley 110 comprises a support 120, and a plurality of peripherals 130, 140 and 150 and means adapted to interact with the telematic network 160.

The support 120 is preferably movable and is structured in such a way as to make it easy to move within the hospital ward, has an ergonomic shape and preferably offers a comfortable support base which makes it easy to arrange peripherals, devices and documents.

The support 120 is equipped with means suitable for connecting it to the electrical network and can also be adapted with buffer batteries necessary to guarantee its operation in the event of discontinuity in the supply of electricity.

The peripherals 130, 140 and 150 are of a known type and comprise devices that allow the display of information normally used in the hospital environment and a plurality of additional access peripherals, not shown in the figure, such as USB ports to which said devices 130, 140 and 150 are connected.

Typically, such devices comprise at least a monitor 130, a keyboard 140 and a mouse 150. These peripherals 130, 140 and 150 must be such as to be able to be used in a hospital environment, therefore preferably waterproof and in compliance with current legislation.

The trolley 110 also comprises means for connecting it to the electrical network and an interface, equivalent to that present on the computer 100, suitable for allowing it to be connected to the telematic network 160.

The telematic network 160 is of a known type and allows communication between said peripherals 130, 140, 150 arranged on said support 120 and the computer. This hospital telematic network, typically comprising an IP infrastructure, supports the traditional Ethernet protocol and can physically be implemented for example using the traditional copper twisted pair, fiber optic or wireless.

The connection of the computer 100 and of the trolley 110 to the telematic network 160 allows the sending, by means adapted for the purpose, of information which allows mutual recognition. Both the trolley 110 and the computer 100 have association means such that the trolley 110 connected to the telematic network 160 is univocally associated with said computer 100.

With reference to Figure 2, an embodiment is shown in which a plurality of trolleys 110, 110 ', 110' ', and a plurality of computers (physical or virtual) 100, 100' and 100 '' arranged in a "rack" they are connected to the same hospital telematic network. Each trolley communicates only and exclusively with the associated processing unit, called unique association obtained by means of a programmable matrix. If it were necessary to replace a computer with one with greater computing capacity, it is sufficient to equip the new computer 100 with the same or equivalent means of association. In fact, the association means of the trolley 110 communicate with the association means of the new processing unit, corresponding to those of the previous one, guaranteeing their recognition and making the change of the unit completely transparent to the trolley 110. Advantageously, this form of decoupling makes possible a continuous updating of the processing unit which, given the continuous and growing computing needs, tends to become obsolete more quickly.

In one embodiment, the processing unit is equipped with hardware and software means dedicated to the storage, transmission, display and printing of the digital diagnostic images.

The devices on the trolley include one or more monitors that allow the display of a diagnostic image at very high resolution.

The trolley 110 can also be equipped with an uninterruptible power supply unit able to guarantee its operation even in the event of disconnection from the electrical network. In this embodiment, the radiological flow between the computer 100 and the trolley 110 is constantly guaranteed.

By means of the association matrix it is possible to establish the source and destination of the displayed data flows. In this way, while for example the radiologist reconstructs the image on his own station (trolley associated with a computer), at the same time this image appears on the monitor arranged on the trolley located inside the operating room.

The trolley can also be equipped with an additional processing unit equipped with an operating system while the means for interacting with the telematic network 160 are preferably of the 802.11 G type.

In practice it has been found that the method and system described achieve the intended aim and objects. In particular, it has been seen how the system thus conceived allows to overcome the qualitative limits of the known art by offering a modular and flexible system.

Clearly, numerous modifications are evident and can be readily carried out by the person skilled in the art without departing from the scope of protection of the present invention.

Therefore, the scope of the claims should not be limited by the illustrations or preferred embodiments illustrated in the description in the form of examples, but rather the claims should encompass all of the patentable novelty features that reside in the present invention, including all features. characteristics that would be treated as equivalent by the person skilled in the art.

Claims (10)

CLAIMS 1. Information visualization system particularly suitable for the hospital environment, comprising: - a telematic network (160); - a trolley (110) comprising a support (120), a plurality of peripherals (130, 140, 150) adapted to be arranged on said support (120) and access means to said telematic network (160) and to the electrical network; - a computer (100), comprising access means to said telematic network (160) and information processing means; characterized by the fact that: said processor (100) and said trolley (110) further comprise means suitable for mutual identification, recognition and association; and said peripherals (130, 140, 150) are further adapted to process the information coming from or intended for said processor (100). 2. System according to claim 1, characterized in that said peripherals (130, 140, 150) comprise at least a screen (130), a keyboard (140) and a mouse (150). 3. System according to claim 1, characterized in that said trolley (110) is equipped with buffer batteries. 4. System according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said peripherals (130, 140, 150) are impermeable to fluids and suitable for use in a hospital setting. 5. System according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that it further comprises a programmable switching matrix adapted to associate said processor (100) with said carriage (110). 6. System according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said information includes patient data, a medical record, radiological images. 7. System according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said telematic network comprises an IP infrastructure. 8. System according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said trolley (110) further comprises an integrated work surface, at most two screens (130), a processing unit equipped with an operating system, means for wireless access to the telematic network preferably of the 802.11 G type, an uninterruptible power supply suitable for guaranteeing the operation of said trolley even in the event of disconnection from the electrical network. 9. System according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said screen has dimensions equal to 15 '', 17 '', 19 '' 21 "and is preferably tactile. 10. A method for displaying information particularly suitable for the hospital setting, including: - provide a telematic network (160); providing a trolley (110) comprising a support 120, a plurality of peripherals (130, 140, 150) adapted to be arranged on said support (120) and access means to said telematic network (160) and to the electrical network; - providing a computer (100), comprising means for accessing said telematic network (160) and information processing means; characterized by understanding the steps of: - identifying, recognizing and associating said computer (100) and said trolley (110); And - processing the information coming from or destined to said computer (100) by means of said peripherals (130, 140, 150).